


Cullavellan Christmas Gift: Mistletoe

by catlavellan



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cullavellan Christmas, F/M, Mistletoe, Satinalia, Secret Santa, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 17:50:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8855098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catlavellan/pseuds/catlavellan
Summary: This is my Cullavellan Christmas Secret Santa gift for Jarino! Rima Lavellan belongs to them! I hope you enjoy! It was so fun getting to know lovely Rima and writing about her and noodle boy supreme, Cullen <3





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jarino](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarino/gifts).



            Josephine had truly outdone herself this time. Rima stepped into the great hall, which was normally bustling with activity, and found herself in a sea of festively-dressed party-goers. Boughs of evergreen branches and holly adorned the balconies, with wreaths dangling from the chandeliers, and golden tinsel draped across banisters. An enormous tree stood in the corner, where Gatsi usually resided, and as Rima took a tentative step further into the party, she couldn’t help but smile in awe. Her eyes glinted with joy as she spun slowly, trying to take in every tiny detail. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of evergreen trees that she so recognized from her days in the forests of Thedas, and the intoxicating and sweet aroma of the scented candles that Josephine had ordered to be placed on every table. Rima lifted a hand to cover her mouth, but a tide of giggles tumbled out nonetheless. It was just so _magical!_ She spotted her friends crowded around a table by the fire, and a grin spread across her face when Varric waved her over.

            “Starlight! Nice of you to join us,” he said, patting the bench next to him. She settled in between him and Blackwall, who gave her an affectionate clap on the shoulder.

            “Enjoying the Satinalia festivities, Inquisitor?” the bearded man asked, taking a hearty gulp from his tankard.

            “They’re absolutely wonderful. We never did anything this…extravagant back with the Dalish. Josephine has done a lovely job decorating–it’s simply beautiful!” Rima leaned forward as she spoke, reigniting a candle that had gone out with just a swish of her fingers, sighing gently at the scent of vanilla and cinnamon that immediately washed over her.

“Well, I’m glad you’re having fun. Maker knows you could use the break,” Varric smirked, handing her a steaming mug that smelled delightful. She took a sip, savouring the fruity, spiced taste.

            “What is this?” Rima asked, licking her lips.

            “Spiced wine,” offered Dorian, who was reclining in his chair, legs propped up against the table. “It’s the only way this Fereldan swill is even remotely tolerable.” Sera snorted to his right before kicking out the leg of his chair and sending him sprawling to the floor with a yelp. Rima only barely stifled a giggle, sending Dorian an apologetic look as he grumbled from the floor.

            “So, what sort of things _did_ you do to celebrate, out there in the woods?” He asked, while clambering back up into a righted position.

            “Well, there is this one tradition…” Rima felt her cheeks reddening as she thought about it, trailing off as she reconsidered.

            “Ooh, Lady Herald’s blushing! I wanna know!” Sera cried as she leaned across the table and propped her head up in her hands.

            “Who’s blushing?” Rima started at the voice that rang out from behind her. She turned to meet familiar, amber eyes full of mirth. Cullen gestured for her to move over and settled himself down on the bench next to her. “What are we blushing about?” He asked, a smirk pulling at lips, causing his scar to quirk invitingly. Rima only flushed harder.

            “It’s…we–well, not _me_ specifically…” she started, eyes glued to her mug.

            “Come on, Starlight, we haven’t got all day!” Varric laughed from beside her, nudging her good-spiritedly in the ribs. Rima rolled her eyes and took a big gulp from her mug before clearing her throat and sighing,

            “We used to hang this little plant from the Aravels– it was called mistletoe. If two people found themselves under it, they had to kiss. I always thought it was sweet…”

            “ _Oh, mistletoe.”_ Dorian said,

            “Yeah, we definitely have that,” Varric echoed.

            “Really? I thought maybe it was a Dalish thing! I suppose it makes sense that shem–er, humans have it too. I kind of hoped that they would, because I never actually…” she trailed off, realizing how surprised and hopeful she sounded, before trying to wrestle her emotions back under control. She looked around to see her Inner Circle wearing all sorts of mischievous smirks and smiles. “Why are you all looking at me like that?” She asked, voice thick with suspicion.

            “Look up, darling,” Vivienne said as she swished past, barely shooting Rima a second look. Swallowing slightly, Rima chanced a glance upwards, only to see that a small sprig of mistletoe was hovering above her head. She looked to her left, where Cullen was looking at the floating plant in confusion, and blushed even more furiously. She shot an aggravated glare across the table at Dorian, who only beamed at her, entirely unapologetic as her continued to levitate the mistletoe above them.

            “Maker’s breath,” she heard from beside her, where realization had certainly struck Cullen, whose blush could now rival her own.

            “Come on, Boss, it _is_ tradition!” Bull’s low voice came from across the table, where he seemed to be waving a similar sprig of mistletoe at Dorian. Rima reminded herself to get them all back later as she turned to Cullen, giving him what she hoped was a contrite look. Taking a breath, she put a hand on his shoulder before stretching up to kiss him on the cheek, in what she had originally intended to be a sweet, chaste, kiss, but she was probably just a hair too close to his mouth, and lingered there just a moment longer than necessary for that to be the case. Cheeks flaming, she turned back towards the table where everyone else had seemingly already moved on.

            Almost two hours later, when the party had worn on, Rima excused herself from a conversation with several nobles by the doors to the Great Hall, fully intending on getting another mug of the spiced wine before calling it a night. Before she could make it to the cask, however, she spotted Cullen, leaning against the doorframe to Josephine’s office. He smiled and inclined his head, beckoning her over. Unable to help the grin that blossomed across her face, she strolled over, letting him take her hand into his.

            “Having fun?” he asked, his thumb tracing small circles over the back of her palm.

            “It’s nice to relax like this,” Rima said with a happy sigh, “I just wish we could do it more often.”

            “Things are more special when they’re rare,” Cullen said, and Rima was inclined to agree, but when she turned to look at him, his eyes weren’t sweeping the festivities like hers had been, but rather, they were locked on to her face, all full of golden fire. Rima internally chided herself for blushing so much tonight.

            “Cullen, about earlier, I’m sorry about the mistletoe…”

            “Me too,” Cullen replied, causing her to lift her eyes in confusion from where they had been glued to the floor, “only I’m sorry that I didn’t get to give you a _proper_ mistletoe kiss.” He lifted a single finger upwards, and Rima followed the path he was indicating, only to find another sprig of mistletoe-this time hung instead of levitated. A grin alit on Rima’s face, green eyes glimmering with hope and happiness. Cullen tugged on the hand that he was holding, drawing her body flush with his, and slid his other arm around her waist. Their faces were so close that Rima could feel Cullen’s warm breath against her cheek, smelling of wine and peppermint, and her lips parted slightly at the thought of tasting that on his mouth. He smirked at the sight of her, eyes going dark, and leaned forward to press his lips to hers. Her eyes fell shut, reveling in the feel of him against her–the perfect mixture of rough stubble against her cheeks and his soft mouth sliding against hers. As his tongue pushed into her mouth, he dropped her hand, wrapping his other arm around her, lifting her into the air, and twirling her around, all without breaking the kiss. Rima couldn’t help the surprised sound that escaped her, and soon enough, she was laughing to the point where she had to pull away. With their foreheads pressed together and expressions of pure bliss etched upon their faces, Cullen and Rima spun around in the doorway, and when he finally put her down, they both flushed at the whooping cheers and applause that came from the sea of people in the Great Hall–especially from a particular group by the fire.

            “Come on, Cullen,” Rima laughed, “l could use a break from all this socializing.” He made to follow her towards her quarters but she stopped him with a raised hand. She looked over her shoulder and tossed him a wink, “Oh, and bring the mistletoe.”


End file.
